Education.com, a Web site that provides parents of school-aged children with parenting, developmental, and educational information, this week published an overview of the educational opportunities offered by Cooperative Extension programs around the country.

The title of the piece - "The Cheapest Kids Programs You've Never Heard Of" - and an oft-repeated phrase that opens the second paragraph - "Cooperative Extension might well be the best-kept secret around" - introduce details about Cooperative Extension's 4-H, Master Gardener and nutrition education programs. The article provides a brief history of the legislation that created Cooperative Extension in 1862 and outlines changes underway to adjust to budget cuts.

Reporter Anna Weinstein spoke to the director of UC ANR's Communications Services unit, Bob Sams, for perspective on changes expected in California's Cooperative Extension program.

Sams said the organization is adapting to what amounts to a 20 percent reduction in permanent state funding, and is involved in a major reorganization of its program delivery.

“Our approach is that we can longer afford to do business in the way that we’ve done in the past and we have an obligation to change our business processes," Sams was quoted.

Sams said he believes that making better use of the Web is one way to accomplish the goal.

“We’ve just really begun to see the impact of ubiquitously available information on the Internet and one of the things we still have to figure out how to do is to utilize that medium to deliver information that has a research and analytical base," Sams told the reporter.